Now that schools are canceled through the rest of the year, the reality has sunk in: the more options for virtual resources, the better. New: Check out our list of virtual summer camps!
Following is an ongoing list of online activities for kids of all ages. All are free unless otherwise noted. Check back often! We'll be updating this post as we get more information*.
Meanwhile, if you'd like to join COVID-19 conversations about everything from e-learning to what to make for dinner tonight, check out our member discussion forum.
Summer Camps (most are fee-based)
[Looking for in-person camps? See our full list.]
Ancona School Ages 3 years–8th grade
Bennett Day School Ages 3–15
Bubbles Academy Ages 3–7
Chicago Children's Theatre Ages 7.5–11
Chicago Filmmakers Ages 9–17
ChiArts: Grades 2–8
Compass Creative Dramatics Grades 1–9
GEMS World Academy Chicago Ages K–8th
Girls Rock! Chicago Ages 8–16
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Ages 4–14
iD Tech Ages 7–19
Joffrey Ballet Ages 9–15
Kids STEM Studio Grades 1–7
The Kids' Table Ages 4–14
The Laboratory Collective Ages 8+
Kidville Ages 2–6
Lillstreet Art Center (also offering in-person summer camp) Ages 6–13
Lincoln Park Zoo Pre-K–8th grade
Northwestern Center for Talent Development Ages 3 years–12th grade
Power Up Tech Academy Ages 7+
Sacred Heart Ages 3 years–7th grade
Second City Ages 4–18
Shedd Aquarium Grades K–5
Varsity Tutors Ages 5–18
Virtual Summer Ages 7–16
Arts, Drama & Music
Art Institute of Chicago
Bubbles Academy daily events
Chicago Filmmakers Youth Screenwriting online course (fee-based)
Happy Kids Chicago daily events
Kid Made Modern weekly events
Merry Music Makers classes & lessons (fee-based)
Museum of Contemporary Art
Stages Performing Arts weekly live events
Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art Children's Activity Coloring Book
Young Rembrandts Virtual Drawing Classes (fee-based)
Wonderland Activities Center take-home kits (fee-based)
Educational Resources
Bennett Day School
Chicago Architecture Center
CPS TV supplemental educational programming, grades 3 - 12
Kidville (fee-based)
Play2Day (fee-based)
Robin's Key (fee-based) preschool - high school, playgroups and therapy groups
Scholastic Learn at Home
Stay Home. Hit Play. virtual field trips to Chicago institutions hosted by Mayor Lightfoot
TEDEd@Home
Varsity Tutors virtual school day and virtual summer camp
Reading & Writing
Chicago Public Library Online Storytime videos
LeVar Burton [from Reading Rainbow] Reads Live via Twitter
Memoir for Me life storybook interview kit
Open Books Daily Writing Prompts
Open Books Virtual Storytime (Facebook + YouTube)
Poetry Foundation Teen Summer Poetry Lab Online
#SaveWithStories via Instagram
Science & Nature
Chicago Children's Museum
Field Museum
Garfield Park Conservatory
Kids STEM Studio
The Laboratory Collective interactive science lessons via Facebook LIVE
Lincoln Park Zoo
Museum of Science and Industry
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Radiolab for Kids
Shedd Aquarium
Sports & Activities
Chicago Wolves Den Diversions
Game On! Sports 4 Girls (also offering in-person summer camp)
P2 Soccer Training Camp live soccer workout on Facebook
Seesaw Saturdays multisensory activities for those with autism and other developmental differences
Virtual Cub Scout Adventures
The Kids Table virtual cooking classes for tots, kids, and teens (fee-based)
West Loop Soccer Club
Windy City Sports Academy Facebook Live classes
Wellness
Alpha Kids Shine yoga for kids (fee-based)
Inner Wellness for Kids Online Program (pay what you can)
Looking for virtual events? We have more than 50 virtual events for kids on our calendar, as well as virtual events for adults, too. Check out our New Moms Group, our new weekly support group for Moms Over 40, a Moms Book Club and our ongoing Developmental Differences Parent Support Group.
*If you're a business/organization that offers virtual learning, camps or activities, we'd love to hear from you. Email laura@npnparents.org with the subject line "Online Resources for COVID-19 Quarantine."
